Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2025-11-26

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Nov 26
● Final83 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
181 head
▲ 23 vs last sale 158▼ 170 vs year ago 351 · −48.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
461 head
▼ 581 vs last sale 1,042▲ 188 vs year ago 273 · +68.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
277 head
▼ 242 vs last sale 519▲ 76 vs year ago 201 · +37.8%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle offerings were very light this week. Quality was mostly plain and offered in small packages with many singles in the offering. Many calves were blemished as ranchers cleaned up pens and pastures prior to the holiday. A very small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Several buyers were out of the market due to the holiday. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 lower on both high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white and thin feeding cows. Demand for feeding cows was lighter this week with fewer private buyers noticed. Many continue to report full lots as heavy offerings of cows have been seen and purchased to feed over the last few months. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this sale as buyers pushed to finish filling loads started earlier in the week. Too few cows were purchased to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold with lower undertones this sale. Most breaking cows were purchased to return to feed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh conditions were average to below average. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Most bulls were purchased by feeding bull buyers this week as they tried to finish filling loads prior to the holiday. Feeding bulls sold steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00 lower on a smaller, poorer quality offering. Fewer buyers were in the stands this week buying young cows and demand was lighter as a result. Demand for young offerings was mostly light to moderate.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $349.51/cwt on 12 head. That ranks 2 of 19 comparable sales and sits −45.94 against this barn's trailing median of $395.45.
Average price
$349.51
12 head · 538 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,879
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$144
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$5.42/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−13.70
vs MT average
+0.14 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1543350.421,90310thin
Medium 1510345.001,7602thin
One grade step is worth $5.42/cwt here — about $144 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale12 hd
349.51
—
MT average4 barns · 1,065 hd
363.21
−13.70
National average34 barns · 3,821 hd
349.37
+0.14
This barn, trailing median19 sales
395.45
−45.94
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

19 sales
478430382334median 395.4503/1104/1506/0309/0210/21
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $464.07, low $347.53, median $395.45 across 19 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,794170.533,06032
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,623157.032,54964
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,365150.672,056159
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,155139.851,615126
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Low935105.009821thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,202$3,23614
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,152$2,8605
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,105$2,7718
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,553$2,7002thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,385$2,5001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,302$2,4705
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,220$2,3836
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,374$2,30426
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,080$2,2001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,309$1,97015
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,245$1,8501thin

Every lot

83 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers9 lots · lightest first
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2440420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,8482
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned469420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,9704
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2510404.29/cwt400.00–412.502,0623
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2558390.29/cwt380.00–392.002,1787
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned573320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,8342
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned578367.50/cwt367.50–367.502,1242
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned619349.89/cwt347.50–352.002,1665
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1622350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,1778
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned624327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,0444
Feeder Cattle · Heifers10 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned428425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,8193
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned433374.74/cwt355.00–410.001,6234
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2443357.50/cwt357.50–357.501,5843
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned480300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,4401
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned494349.91/cwt345.00–360.001,7293
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1500400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,0002
Heifers500–550Medium 1Unweaned510345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,7602
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1554338.02/cwt334.00–365.001,8738
Heifers650–700Medium 1687280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,9248
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2831270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,2444
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned428440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8832
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2479382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,8325
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned575330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,8981
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned690250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,7253
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2725260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,8852
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2955262.50/cwt262.50–262.502,5071
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,000270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,7001
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,037286.51/cwt282.50–287.502,9715
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,110251.00/cwt251.00–251.002,7867
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,160230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,6683
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,208160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,9332
Bulls——Return to Feed1,340158.76/cwt150.00–165.002,1272
Bulls——1,680173.00/cwt173.00–173.002,9062
Bulls——1,805183.00/cwt183.00–183.003,3031
Bulls——Return to Feed1,842179.38/cwt173.00–180.503,30413
Bulls——1,901159.95/cwt151.00–165.003,04110
Bulls——2,070186.00/cwt186.00–186.003,8501
Bulls——2,130173.00/cwt173.00–173.003,6851
Slaughter Cattle · Cows20 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight92270.55/cwt60.00–75.006503
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight928112.59/cwt110.00–115.001,0452
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,010125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2631
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,148136.92/cwt107.50–151.001,57254
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,148101.70/cwt90.00–104.001,1686
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,170108.58/cwt100.00–115.001,2707
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,185155.85/cwt150.00–160.001,84750
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,190167.50/cwt167.50–167.501,9933
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,330118.54/cwt114.00–121.001,57711
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,347158.85/cwt154.50–165.002,14089
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,367166.26/cwt166.00–167.002,2734
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398142.95/cwt127.50–154.001,99849
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,414139.34/cwt135.00–143.001,9705
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,415148.00/cwt148.00–148.002,0941
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,537162.01/cwt157.00–166.002,49024
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,602167.00/cwt167.00–167.002,6757
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,627150.66/cwt142.00–154.002,4519
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,666151.20/cwt143.00–155.002,51919
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,834156.24/cwt156.00–157.002,8654
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,140139.00/cwt139.00–139.002,9751
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight935105.00/cwt105.00–105.009821
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows18 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 19001,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0802,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,0871,974.71/head1,900.00–2,000.001,9754
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1052,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9004
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,1271,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1342,909.57/head2,850.00–2,935.002,9107
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2023,236.40/head3,100.00–3,350.003,23614
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2202,383.19/head2,250.00–2,450.002,3836
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2302,650.00/head2,650.00–2,650.002,6503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,2451,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3232,239.46/head2,200.00–2,300.002,2399
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3252,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0002
Bred Cows—Large 11,3402,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3602,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,00010
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3852,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4102,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4972,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,45013
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,5532,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7002
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1745290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,1614
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2895271.43/cwt220.00–305.002,42929
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2950219.18/cwt195.00–250.002,0827
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1993277.82/cwt235.00–308.002,75980
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,068229.40/cwt181.00–280.002,45040
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,085210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,2793
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,655180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,9791

This sale against other markets

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.